A tropical escape with ultra blue waters isn’t too far off from the hustle and bustle of downtown Toronto. And according to a new study, this national park is one of the best in Canada, for all those features and more.
Bruce Peninsula National Park, located around the Niagara Escarpment, is one of the largest protected areas in Southern Ontario — and it’s just been named one of the country’s top national parks. It’s also the only park in the province to make the list.
A study by Canada tour company operator Journeyscape crowned the park seventh best overall, listing a total of 10 parks across the country. Their research analyzed a ton of factors, including Instagram posts and Google review scores, to determine the best visitor experience for the summer season.
If you’re in Ontario and want to take the road trip trek to the province’s top park, you’re in for the adventure of a lifetime. Situated at the northern tip of the Bruce Peninsula, the park offers a range of activities such as hiking on the Horse Lake Trail, ending at a boulder beach on the Georgian Bay.
If you’re looking for an alternate access point to hike from, the wondrous Cyprus Lake is a must-try — perfect for a less rugged experience. It even features charred stumps along the way surviving from early 1900s forest fires.
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You can also hike to The Grotto and Indian Head Cove from here, the beautiful limestone sea cave and natural pool that brings scores of visitors each year.
Other escapades from Cyprus Lake include fun kayak and canoe trips. While on the water, you’ll be able to spot great blue herons and kingfishers if you keep a watchful eye out.
Speaking of sighting different species in the wild, the park will have a range of animals, fish and other wildlife. Sure, you’ll come across the good old Canadian goose, but you may not know that you’ll also be in the scope of animals such as black bears, white-tailed deer, snakes and painted turtles to name a few.
Singing Sands is another popular destination at the park. It’s a shallow water beach on Lake Huron that’s known for its sand grains, which produce a musical humming sound thanks to its silica and quartz-rich grains.
Bruce Peninsula National Park is just a three-hour drive from Toronto, with Parkbus offering a direct service from the downtown core if you don’t have a car.
If you’re planning some other last-minute travel, check out what the tour company named the top two national parks in Canada: in an unsurprising reveal, the park that came out on top was Alberta’s Jasper National Park, famous for its stunning glaciers and lakes, as well as the 11,033-foot-high Mt. Edith Cavell. Banff National Park followed in second place, home to some of the greatest mountain peaks on earth.
You can get free entry into Bruce Peninsula National Park until Sept. 7 with the Canada Strong Pass. Make sure to plan your visit online here.
For details on Canada’s first elevated park, click here.
For an Ontario beach that was named one of Canada’s best, click here.
